


Wait

by isleysister



Series: Loud Places [3]
Category: Still Star-Crossed (TV)
Genre: Angst, Ben POV, F/M, Modern AU, are so stubborn, but also happy valentines day y'all, these two
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-02-15
Updated: 2018-02-15
Packaged: 2019-03-18 22:47:24
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,125
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13691439
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/isleysister/pseuds/isleysister
Summary: Rosaline's music festival debut goes well. Benvolio's attempt at confessing his feelings does not.





	Wait

**Author's Note:**

> If anybody wants to drop me any prompts or beg me to stop writing, hmu on tumblr @stillnotoverstillstarcrossed !

            “Benvolio, I’m so touched,” Mercutio said. He waved his hands in front of his face, fanning fake tears. “I knew you appreciated me but- roses? You shouldn’t have!”

            “Shut up,” Benvolio whispered, afraid Mercutio was too loud. Benvolio nudged his friend away from the bouquet in his hands to keep the flowers intact. It wouldn’t do to give Rosaline crumpled up flowers after the biggest performance of her career so far.

            “Benny boy, I’m just messing with you. I’m more of a carnation man myself,” Mercutio joked. He leaned in close to Benvolio, lowering his voice. “Obviously, these roses are only meant for fair Rosaline.”

            Ben refused to acknowledge Mercutio’s pun and kept his eyes locked on the stage. Rosaline would be walking on any moment, in a crimson sundress, so long it trailed behind her.  Her hair was teased to surround her face with big, soft curls. Benvolio could probably sketch every detail of her look tonight, right down to the slightly smudged red lipstick from Mercutio giving Rosaline a good luck kiss on the cheek.

So, he may have been staring. A lot. But soon enough, everyone else would be staring at Rosaline too.

            Right at that thought, applause started up in the audience. Rosaline made her way across the wide, glossy stage and Benvolio held his breath. It was time.

            “La Verona Music Festival,” Mercutio said under his breath. “Prepare to have your shit rocked!”

            With a small wave and a nervous smile that made Ben’s heart skip a beat (because he was nervous too!), Rosaline took the mic.

            _She’s got this_ , Benvolio assured himself. He’d never believed in anything more.

 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

            Backstage was a flurry of activity as people rushed in every direction to get the next artist on stage. Ben quietly wondered why it even mattered, as they entered Rosaline’s dressing room. Rosaline just brought down the house. No one was going to beat that.

           “You’d think I’d start taping down my edges by now,” screamed Mercutio with his arms held out towards Rosaline. “You keep snatching them!”

            She shook her head at Mercutio’s hysterics and brought him in for a hug.

            “What edges?” Rosaline teased. Over Mercutio’s shoulder, Rosaline’s eyes met Ben’s.

            _Thank you_ , she mouthed at him.

            _For what?_   he mouthed back, with a shrug.

            She rolled her eyes, thinking him to be joking. But truly, Ben wasn’t the one to thank here. Rosaline simply being _Rosaline_ was what brought them all this far.

            As she and Mercutio parted, Mercutio said, “To recover from that killer performance, I’m gonna need some snacks and refreshments. You want anything?”

            Rosaline shook her head, and Mercutio made way to move towards the exit.

           “Thanks for asking me too, Merc! How considerate,” Ben said before Mercutio made his way out.

            “I only serve musical goddesses, not the filthy likes of you!” he yelled back as he kept walking, not even sparing Ben a glance.

            “I don’t know what else I expected,” Ben said in a mock-disappointed tone, turning around to face Rosaline.

            Rosaline didn’t respond. Her eyes were drawn to the bouquet in Ben’s hand. _Oh right_ , Ben remembered. _That’s why Mercutio left_.

           “Who are those for?” Rosaline asked expectantly with a raised eyebrow. No turning back now.

            Ben walked towards Rosaline, so close he could smell the cocoa butter moisturizer in her hair.

           “Rosaline,” Ben started. He tried his best to quiet his nerves and settle his voice. “This whole journey has been incredible. And it’s all been because of you. You’ve been the heart of this group. You’re everything. I know flowers won’t exactly amount to all that you’ve done, but I hope it counts for something.”

            He held out the red roses to Rosaline. She took them gently into her arms, a fond smile making way across her face as she examined them. She tilted her head and looked back up at Benvolio.

           “This was very sweet of you, Ben,” she said. “but, I couldn’t have done it without you either.”

            He swore there was a millisecond where she glanced down at his lips. He knew he had done the same.

 _This is the moment! Get on with it, Benvolio!_ a voice, strikingly similar to Mercutio’s, screamed in his mind.

           “Rosaline, I-“ Ben began only to be interrupted by a knock at the door.

            Her eyes shone with sympathy as she quickly sprinted to get the door.

            “Sorry,” she said, over her shoulder as she began to open it.

            Benvolio nodded. He could wait. He could wait forever.

 _Feeling a little melodramatic_ , _are we?_   the mini Mercutio voice said.

 _Oh, shut up,_ Ben replied. Leave it to Mercutio to make fun of him even when he wasn’t physically present.

           “Hello?” Rosaline said, head poking out the door. By her questioning tone, Benvolio deduced it wasn’t someone she knew.

           “Rosaline,” a smooth male voice replied. Ben swore he’d heard that voice before. “How are you? I’ve missed you!”

            Rosaline suddenly threw open the door and let the stranger in. But Ben quickly realized it wasn’t a stranger at all.

           “Escalus, what on earth are you doing here?” Rosaline said. She was smiling brightly at him, reaching in for a hug. Ben swallowed.

           “I heard you were performing and I happened to be coming to Cali at the same time, sooo,” he said with an annoyingly blinding smile and a shrug of the shoulders. “I made a trip out of it!”

            Ben was feeling more awkward by the second, standing off in the corner of the room. He rubbed the back of his neck and cleared his throat.

           “Escalus, how are you?” he said, hoping it came off as polite. He stepped toward Escalus and offered his hand.

           “Benvolio, I’m well. I’m really well,” answered Escalus, as he shook Benvolio’s hand, pointedly glancing at Rosaline on that last word.

            Rosaline’s eyes widened as well as Ben’s. Benvolio needed to get out of here, fast.

            “Well, I’ll let you two catch up,” he said as he quickly made his way to the door. He didn’t even look up at Rosaline, who had grabbed his arm last minute.

            “Ben, you don’t have to go,” she said shaking her head.

            “No, I really do,” he said, hating how rough it came out. “I’ll catch you guys later at the after party, alright?”

            Rosaline considered him for a minute, which only made Benvolio want to leave even more. Sometimes he swore she was looking right through him.

           “Alright,” she finally said. Her face remained unreadable as she let go of his arm. 

            Benvolio gave Escalus what he hoped was a respectful nod and closed the door behind him. Making his way to the food court, Benvolio prayed Mercutio had bought some alcohol. He needed a drink.


End file.
